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| A low-tech but ingeniously distributed E-letter by Mr. E Vol. I, No. 20 — November 12, 2001 To read previous issues of The E-List, click here. Send comments about The E-List to: elist@aumha.org Please see Legal Notice. |
This newsletter tracks new information, and improvements in existing information, on the Windows Support Center, my website supporting Windows desktop systems and leading application software. I also include small, useful items that might not find a permanent place on the site, but that I would like to pass along, and anything else I feel like writing!
Click here to subscribe. If you subscribe, you will receive email notification when there is a new issue of the newsletter. (You will not receive the newsletter itself by email. That’s why I call it low-tech.) My intention is to provide a new and further way to serve the 50,000 people per month who visit my site. Previous newsletters are available online, and their content searchable through this site’s search engine. Enjoy! — Jim Eshelman
CONTENTS of this Issue
NEWS & VIEWS
THANKS TO ALL WHO HELP!
If I’m an evangelist for anything technological, it is for the power and beauty of the online peer technical support community. “Peer support” is one of the mightiest forces on the Internet. I spend much of most days on public peer-support newsgroups where the main rules are pretty simple: If you have a question, ask it. If you have an answer, give it. If you receive help, pass it on.
Consider the positive consequences if all of society reconstituted itself on those simple premises. Really: Stop and think about it.
Sure, the Internet (and Usenet in particular) has a generous share of squabbles, infantile divisiveness, and pettiness. Welcome to the human condition. But, a very significant part of the human condition is also the generous spirit of benevolence. Were this not true, the peer-support newsgroup phenomena, which has flourished — really flourished — for many years would never have gotten seriously off the ground.
If you need help, ask. If you can give help, do so. If you receive help, pass it on. That’s why we call it “community.”
While this Windows Support Center at AumHa.org is primarily my work, it benefits constantly from the contributions of many others. Visitors give me feedback that helps make the site better. Other writers generously contribute articles. A cadre of my fellow MS-MVPs acts as Guinea pigs and sounding boards for new parts of the site. And uncounted hundreds of contributors to the public peer-support newsgroups provide insights and information on a daily basis, much of which makes its way here. I always give credit where I can, though sometimes, an idea spreads so fast, or a discovery pops up so many places at once, that it’s impossible to learn who to credit.
These thoughts were especially prompted by a letter of thanks I received last week. While I was appreciative of the writer’s taking the time to offer thanks, I also quickly saw that his gratitude applied to every one of you that has contributed to this site over time. The right thing to do, therefore, is to share it with you — adding my thanks to his. Obviously, I don’t agree with his views on the newsgroups... but I’ve included the sour with the sweet:
There is an unfortunate trend towards viewing all of the information on the internet as created by some faceless mass. So when all or part of that information is useful, we tend to self-credit instead of showing appreciation where it is due.
Today I would like to give thanks to you, or whoever gave you the information about the XP shutdown problems.
I have enough computer savvy to fix most of the problems I encounter on my own. But this was a case of complete bewilderment. My computer stayed on for about 3 weeks straight because it would restart when I attempted to shutdown. Newsgroups were little help (mostly posters complaining that “You people ask the same question over and over. Why don’t you just read what was already posted?”). Much discussion, little information.
I found your site and had my problem fixed within 5 minutes. It was, in fact, the Roxio CD creator that was the problem. I downloaded the patch listed on your site, and sure enough, my system shut down as it was supposed to.
Thank you for your help.
M.G.
WINDOWS SUPPORT SITES
SITE OF THE WEEK:
The CyberSpace by Michael Solomon
Women & Technology... but by no means just for women!I read a number of e-newsletters. All of them either come straight to my email inbox or (like The E-List) send me a reminder notice. However, I don’t read a lot of online columns if they don’t offer this type of mechanism because, frankly, I benefit from the reminder. But Michael Solomon’s column, The CyberSpace, has recently become one where I make an exception! I seek this one out.
The CyberSpace is part of the online “magazine,” the Skateboard. In each issue of the Skateboard, you can scroll down a bit and click on the CyberSpace link (the one I provide above) to get a list of all previous columns, or click just below it (on the current topic’s title) to read Michael’s most recent article. By the way, the Skateboard features a variety of original articles, opinion pieces, photographs, non-fiction and fiction writing, and other content that, depending on your own tastes, you may find more than a little interesting. Given that a very high percentage of its articles are authored by women, it would seem that the Skateboard has set out to appeal primarily to women, though its enjoyable and thought-provoking content certainly isn’t gender-differentiated in any stereotypical way.
As I write this, Michael’s current column is an introduction to “The Windows XP eXperience.” Quite timely for many of you (as my inbox discloses daily). This particular article is quite a good collection of things to think about and check out as you are planning an upgrade to XP, as well as providing much more than a cursory overview of the product. I rate his upgrade discussion right alongside Gary Woodruff’s Upgrading to Windows XP article, which I host here on Aumha.org. Michael’s and Gary’s articles are both loaded with great information, though they approach the question from very different angles.
Earlier CyberSpace columns — a baker’s dozen — can be read from the archive, as well. In addition to those that are aimed at people in the midst of the XP upgrade explosion (“The Product Activation Dilemma,” “To Buy or Not to Buy?”), there are also solid, helpful articles on diverse topics such as: “First Rule of PC Diagnosis: Take a Good History,” “Security — I’ve Seen the Enemy,” “A Whole New Internet World,” “Don’t Get Caught Without Your Backup,” “Convenience Isn’t Dumb,” “Home Network Setup is Easy — NOT,” and “An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Spam: Preventing Spam to Your Email Address.”
The CyberSpace is a good read. I recommend it. Michael Solomon used to be an Assistant Forum Manager on MSN’s Internet Explorer & Safe Computing forum. Also, about a month ago, he was presented with this year’s Microsoft MVP Award (that’s how we met). His information is solid, he has a wide streak of helpfulness, and his writing has an easy flow that doesn’t compromise his accuracy. Treat yourself: This is a technical column that you can enjoy reading with a steaming cup of something in your hand on a chilly day (like today).
LEVELING THE FIELD: THE HARROW REPORT
Harrow Technology Report by Jeff Harrow may be the single most fascinating newsletter there is on technology and its impact on our future, both pragmatically and philosophically. This is not a news-blurb newsletter — Though it is newsy, it is primarily a “thinking person’s paradise” and playground.
Jeff Harrow, for many years, authored Compaq’s “Rapidly Changing Face of Computing” technology journal, often one of the most captivating and insightful periodicals of the Computer Age. Now, he’s left Compaq and is working as an independent technology consultant. I read, and recommend, his newsletter.
CONTEST RULES: I’m awarding one free lifetime subscription to my free newsletter, The E-List, to anyone not from the Midwest who understood the title of this section. Gary Woodruff need not apply! <g>
ALL-WINDOWS ALL THE TIME
I’ve long recommended Svetlana Belacov’s Web site for Troubleshooting KERNEL32.DLL errors & Invalid Page Faults. However, somehow I’ve failed, until now, to mention the larger site of which this is part.
All-Windows.com is the Spanish-English site maintained by wife-husband MVP team Svetlana Belacov and Julian Peris. Check it out not only for troubleshooting KERNEL32 errors, but also for a variety of other features including the Office XP Setup FAQ, Windows Fatal Exception Errors, Word 2002, and more.
KB ARTICLES: Specific Commands
How to Determine the Source of a File Win95, Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME, Win XP
This is a generally handy article — whether for identifying files referenced by error messages, or for any other purpose. Read through it even if you don’t think you need it at the moment. This is useful, basic, helpful information.
System File Checker (SFC) Identified that the Following File may Be Corrupted. File: EXTRAC32.EXE... Win98
This problem — or other error messages suggesting that one or more of several specific .DLL files isn’t recognized — can occur if SFC doesn’t recognize files installed by Internet Explorer 5.0 or 5.01. Solution: Click “Update verification information” under “What do you want to do?,” then click OK.
Hard Disk Runs Continuously After You Install Office XP Office XP
After you install Office XP, your computer’s hard disk may run continuously. This problem comes from an old “friend” (I use the term sarcastically) in a new guise: The Fast Searching indexing feature of Office XP, also known as “Child of FindFast,” just doesn’t know when to quit (as usual!). Get rid of the, fu-fu-fu-fu-uh, fundamentally flawed feature.
Cannot Move or Rename the Documents & Settings Folder Win 2000, Win XP
That’s right. You can’t. It’s by design.
SYSTEM RESTORE ISSUES IN WIN XP
System Restore “Restore Points” Are Missing or Deleted WinXP
This is a major article! It’s probably the first one you should read if you are having any problem at all with Win XP’s System Restore feature. There are many reasons that restore points could seem to be missing, and this article walks through them. Chief on the list: insufficient hard drive space sets in motion a domino effect that causes the problem; System Restore is turned off; Disk Cleanup was used, including the option to purge restore points; the restore point is more than 90 days old; you reduced the amount of drive space allocated to this feature; or you have recently upgraded to Win XP or reinstalled it.
How the System Restore Utility Uses Drive Letters WinXP
What is says. Irrelevant unless you are tweaking how System Restore works.
How System Restore Functions When You Delete Hard Links WinXP
In Windows NT/2K/XP, a hard link is a directory entry for a file. If you delete a hard link, then run System Restore, weird stuff happens. If you aren’t a programmer, you’ll probably never run into this; but if you are a programmer, you should know about it.
Information on System Restore & Password Restoration WinXP
Ah, the joys of security management! You carefully go around removing passwords here and there, then run System Restore. How does it treat the deleted passwords? Well, it restores some, but not others. This has been pretty well thought through, but could be confusing if you don’t know exactly what System Restore is doing. This article explains all!
KB ARTICLES: Error Messages
“Error Loading Keyboard.drv” Error Message When You Start Windows Win98, Win98 SE
When you start Windows 98, you may see the error message, “Error loading KEYBOARD.DRV. You must reinstall Windows.” Not the kind of error message you want to see before your first cup of coffee! (Or, for that matter, anytime during the day, I guess.)
Good news: You almost certainly don’t really have to reinstall Windows. The message is telling a bit of a fib. This is a known situation with an easy solution. The cause? The first error message actually put its finger right on it: The KEYBOARD.DRV file is either damaged or missing. All you have to do is extract a new one from your Windows CD. Case closed.
This can be a much more confusing problem, though, because it can also cause symptoms that seem unrelated to the message: If you boot the computer in Safe Mode, it may go straight to the “It is now safe to turn off your computer” screen, or simply powerdown!
WAOL caused an Invalid Page Fault in module WININET.DLL Win95, Win98, Win98 SE
Are you running AOL? When you try to browse the Web on your Win95/98 computer, do you get an error message that, “WAOL caused an Invalid Page Fault in module WININET.DLL?” If so, your TCP/IP protocol is probably damaged or missing in Control Panel | Network. (Gee, I wonder how that happened? Things that make you go ‘Hmm...’) Go fix this, and you’ll probably be fine.
EXPLORER caused an Invalid Page Fault in module CSLOA.EXE Win98, Win98 SE
If you don’t have AOL, you can’t have this error message. If you do have AOL, and AOL’s CSLOA.DLL file is either damaged or an incorrect version (definitely things that make you go ‘Hmm...’), then you can count on getting this error message.
MONITOR caused an Invalid Page Fault in module KERNEL32.DLL Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME
The error message could be the one quoted in the title, or else “Windows Sockets Initialization failed.” It could occur when you try to launch Internet Explorer or Outlook Express, or when you try to shutdown the computer just after disconnecting from the Internet. The cause is that the Encompass Monitor (EncMonitor) service is installed on your computer, and conflicts with another installed program or service. (Check your Startup folder to see if a shortcut to EncMonitor service is there.)
EXPLORER or IEXPLORER caused an Invalid Page Fault in module KERNEL32.DLL or SHDOCVW.DLL
Win98; IE4/5 for Win95/98/NT4If any of the above error message variations appears when you type a URL in the IE Address box, or when you type a command in a Run box, then your History folder is probably damaged. IE’s AutoComplete feature can’t process the command. You can test whether this is true by temporarily disabling AutoComplete under Internet Options. If this really is the problem, then you need to get rid of the damaged History folder and let it rebuild. This article explains how to do this — the steps differ according to your operating system.
MSGSRV32.EXE Stops Responding & Then the Computer Stops Responding Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME
How many times have you heard it? MSGSRV32 is the messenger, not the problem. This is still true. There are several things that can force an error message of this sort, and the present article discusses a rather complex one involving power management features on a computer equipped with a Palm cradle. Specifically, if you have Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) enabled, and one of Palm, Inc.’s Palm HotSync cradles connected to the same computer, and the letter “A” is not displayed after the cable model number at the end of the HotSync cradle cable, then, well, you’ve got a problem. You need a new (free) adapter from Palm. While waiting for it, work around the problem by disconnecting the cradle from the computer.
Fatal 0D has occurred at 0028:C001539A or 0246:013F47FB Win95, Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME
If your computer stops responding while you are connecting to the Internet, and you crash the program with a Fatal Exception 0D message (perhaps in memory addresses 0028:C001539A or 0246:013F47FB), ask yourself: Do I have McAfee Clinic installed? If you can honestly answer, “Yes,” then Microsoft recommends that you uninstall McAfee Clinic, then reinstall it.
KB ARTICLES: Hardware, Drivers & RAM
Cannot View NTFS Logical Drive After Using FDISK Win XP
WARNING! DANGER! WARNING WARNING WARNING! If you have any NTFS partitions on your computer, do not, I repeat do not, start Win NT or XP in a dual-boot environment with Win95/98, use FDISK to delete a logical drive using the FAT file system, then restart Windows. Why you ask? Is it a good enough reason that, by doing this, you will wipe out all partitions using NTFS? (Yeah, I thought that might catch your attention.) This is one of those, "Oh, hey, why can’t I find Drive E: anymore?" kind of questions, for which the only and sad answer is: What Drive E:! You don’t have one anymore."
See, FDISK (we all know what the F stands for, right?) cannot recognize NTFS logical drives in an extended partition. So, what does it do? It deletes them. (Makes sense, doncha think?) At least, it does this if the logical NTFS partition occurs before the logical FAT partition, which is usually the way things will be. Solution? None after the fact (unless you’ve been doing your backups like you should). Before the fact, though, you can prevent this problem by using XP’s Disk Management tool instead of FDISK.
How to Add the Print Directory Feature to Windows Explorer Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME
Would you like to have the ability to print a directory’s contents from inside of Windows Explorer? Here’s how. It’s an idea that’s been floating around the Internet for a few years, and earlier this year it was given its own Knowledge Base article. One minor caveat: Though this method works as well in Win ME as in Win98, some of the instructions in the article don’t exactly apply to ME. Microsoft moved some things around, and didn’t note the 98 vs. ME changes in the article. But you can probably figure them out just fine. (Or, of course, you could use the PrintFolder utility from my “favorite freeware” list.)
OTHER WIN XP HARDWARE-HELPERS
IEEE 1394 General Troubleshooting Win 2000, Win XP
IEEE 1394 spells FireWire. Learn about it and troubleshoot it here.
Cannot Start the UPS Service Win XP
There are problems running an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) when you upgrade to Win XP from Win98 or Win 2000. Microsoft has a patch. Get the patch here.
How to Check the Video Driver Win NT, Win 2000, Win XP
Resources for Troubleshooting Sound Problems in Windows XP Win XPJust what they say. These are great general articles on their respective subjects.
You Cannot Select the Highest Monitor Graphics Modes Win 2000, Win XP
“This problem can occur because of the way Windows calculates the supported graphics modes based on the information in your monitor’s .INF file. The .INF file lists a maximum supported horizontal and vertical bandwidth for that monitor, and Windows calculates the supported video modes based on this data. In some cases, the algorithm that is used is too conservative, and this can prevent you from using the highest possible modes that are supported by your monitor. Note that there may be limitations that are imposed by the video adapter as well.” This is a bug. The article gives work-arounds to get you through the night.
KB ARTICLES: Internet Explorer & Outlook Express
Internet Shortcuts in Outlook Express Do Not Start Web Browser OE 4.x for Win95/NT4; OE 5.x for Win98
Sometimes, when using Outlook Express, you click on an Internet shortcut (in other words, a link) and it takes you... nowhere. It just sits there.
Now, this is normal in an email you are composing in Outlook Express (unlike the way Outlook works). But I’m not talking about those instances. I’m talking about when you are reading an email, and the link really should take you somewhere. Two causes are known for this occasional problem: Your computer is using a short file name (DOS 8.3 naming) for the program that is associated with launching Internet shortcuts, or IE isn’t currently your default Internet browser, and the browser that was formerly the default is no longer installed.
The second cause seems obvious enough. The first one seems a bit strange, though. I have no idea why pointing to IE at c:\progra~1\intern~1\iexplore.exe wouldn’t work just as well as pointing to it at “c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe”. But it doesn’t. So you have to fix this. This article walks you through the fixes.
KB ARTICLES: Password Problems
Error Message When You Try to Connect to the Internet: “Your Windows Passwords List Was Damaged” Win95, Win98, Win98 SE, Win ME
The full error message, received either when you try to log onto Windows or onto the Internet, is:
Your Windows Passwords list was damaged. The damage has been repaired as much as possible. But you may need to reenter some or all of your Windows passwords.
This is caused by damage either to a password list (.PWL) file, or to one or more files associated with Dial-Up Networking. This article walks through the steps of fixing it.
NOTE: As with all these Knowledge Base articles, you will find these links added to the respective KB Articles pages on the site, such as Knowledge Base Links: Password Problems. They can also be found through my site search engine or, of course, by clicking on their links above. A listing of topics for which KB articles are catalogued on my site can be found on the Microsoft Knowledge Base Links page (just click “MSKB Articles” in the navigation bar at the top of each page).
KB ARTICLES: Windows Registry
Definition of the RunOnce Keys in the Registry All
Ten different keys in the Windows Registry can automatically launch a program at startup. These are summarized on my Startup Program Loading page. Of these, the RunOnce key serves a special function. This article (one of several on the Knowledge Base Links: The Registry page that discusses specific keys) explains what it does.
KB ARTICLES: Shutdown & Restart
If you haven’t visited the KB Links: Shutdown & Restart Problems page recently, then you haven’t seen its new look. I restructured the page a couple of weeks ago, including a new menu and a new Windows XP section. This page is a formal part of my “Windows Shutdown & Restart Center” suite of pages, and supplements the several Windows Shutdown & Restart Troubleshooting pages by providing links to Microsoft KB articles, rather than walk-through troubleshooting procedures and other discovered information. Here are two articles recently added to the page, both applicable to Windows XP:
Windows XP Stops Responding (Hangs) During Windows Shutdown
During shutdown or reboot, Win XP may hang at the “saving your settings” screen. During such a hang, there is no response to Ctrl+Alt+Del. The mouse may or may not work. This is a known bug in Windows XP, for which Microsoft has a supported fix. Because this patch is scheduled for further quality assurance testing in the future, Microsoft only recommends that you install it if you have a serious problem; otherwise, they recommend waiting for Service Pack 1, which will include the more permanent version of the fix. This article tells how to get the patch.
How to Increase Shutdown Time For Services To Close Properly Win NT, Win 2000, Win XP
Windows does a lot of different things during shutdown. In Windows NT 3.51 and 4, Windows 2000, and Windows XP (the NT-family of operating systems), there is a delay while various Services are shut down. Under some circumstances (that is, to resolve certain problems), you may want to lengthen the wait period. This article provides a Registry hack to do exactly that. After reading the article, click here to download a Registry patch to effect this repair.
KB ARTICLES: Troubleshooting
System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings Win98, Win ME
Add this to your Troubleshooting Toolbox. You may already know how to use MSCONFIG for a lot of troubleshooting. This article is a keeper, though, because it goes item-by-item through the boxes you find when you click the Advanced button in MSCONFIG in Win98 or Win ME. Good stuff!
KB ARTICLES: Windows XP
You May Lose Data or Program Settings After Reinstalling, Repairing, or Upgrading Windows XP
This new Knowledge Base article was posted by Microsoft just today, as this issue of The E-List was being completed. It is of considerable urgency. Please note, however, that the circumstances in this article apply only to computers with Windows XP preinstalled by the OEM.
The gist of the article is that important data may be lost:
- if you reinstall Win XP Win XP (that is, over-install XP atop itself) in the same folder under certain specified circumstances;
- if you use the Repair Installation option (as specified in the article); or
- if you upgrade a preinstalled Win XP Home Edition to a retail Win XP Professional.
This article tells how to avoid these problems for now. A patch to permanently resolve the problem is forthcoming.
KB ARTICLES: Windows ME
General Information About Windows ME Hotfixes
“Microsoft develops hotfixes for Windows Millennium Edition... as needed to resolve critical customer situations. This article includes general information about Windows ME hotfixes.” If you use Win ME, you should read this article to learn how to obtain and install these.
By the way, there are similar services for earlier versions of Windows. In Win95, these “hotfixes” were simply called “updates.” You can download them here. For information on hotfixes for Win98 (either edition), check here
Computer Shuts Down & Restarts When You Attempt to Connect to the Internet or Your ISP
Spontaneous reboots of your computer are almost always the result of hardware problems. Almost always. This variation of the problem is an exception. On Windows ME computers connecting to the Internet through a Dial-Up Networking connection, Norton Personal Firewall, can force a spontaneous reboot when you try to connect to the Internet. Microsoft’s recommended solution is to disable Norton Personal Firewall then contact Symantec about the problem. (Of course, an alternative solution — and, for all I know, the one that Symantec would most favor — is to upgrade your operating system to get rid of Windows ME!)
Happy computing, everyone!
Jim Eshelman
THE NECESSARY LEGAL STUFF
DISCLAIMER: Any information given in this newsletter, or on any other part of the Windows Support Center website, is researched by me and believed to be accurate. However, I cannot guarantee, and do not guarantee, that all the information provided will work on all computer systems, for all users, all the time. Also, I sometimes make mistakes (that’s life!), and it is possible I made one or more of them here. All information herein is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind. In other words, I rely on the best information sources I can, and do my best to get it to you accurately; and, thereafter, you take your life in your own hands if you trust me on it. Neither James Eshelman, this site, outside contributors to this site, people quoted on this site, nor my cat is/are responsible for any loss, injury, or damage, direct or consequential, resulting from application of any information presented here.
The E-List. Copyright © 2001 by James A. Eshelman. All Rights Reserved.Return to the TOP of the Page.